Expression-controlling mechanism for pneumatically-operated musical instruments



PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS H. J. LA JOIE ET AL CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR Filed Oct. 51, 1921 5 Shasta-Sheet 1 u| H l hrl ni i av will. 1: iln .IIL

EXPRESSION ua k pix-62$ a lainwkkk whvmw Oct. 19 1926.

M FOR PNEUMATICALLY Oct. 19 1926.

- H. J. LA JOlE ET AL EXPRESSION CONTROLLING MECHANIS OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed 0012. 31 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M N FM! 1712.060: art M l-t If Zkar% TICALLY Get. .19 1926.

H. J. LA JOIE ET AL EXPRESSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PNEUMA OPERATED MUSICAL TNSTRUMENTS Filed Oct. 31, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 &

; 1,603,342 H. J. LA JOIE ET AL EUMATICALLY Oct. 19 1926 EXPRESSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PN OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 51, 1921 Oct. 19 1926.

' LA JOIE ET AL v EXPRESSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 5 Sheets-Sheet" 5 Filed Oct. 51 1921 u iiilil1:111:12- I Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNI TED STATES PATENT OFFICE,-

HUBERT lLA JoIE, OF AST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AND U EP QT URQUHART AND FRANK POKORNY, OF NEW YORK, N; 55., ASSIGNORSI T AUTO PNEUMATIC ACTION COMPANY, A CORPORATION 011: NEW YORK.

EXPEESSION-GONITROLLING MECHA'NIIISIM on PNEuMATIoALLY-oPERATEn MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed ociofir 31, 1921; SerialNo. 511,711.

In pneumatically operated player the blow of the hammer is governed b the tension of the suction or exhaust applied to; the particular pneumatic Which operates such hammer and by regulating said ten sion the expression, touch, or dynamieaction is controlled. controlling easily and cheaply manutactured'asa unit so that 1 it can. be" quickly antl' expeditiously placed in position in the piano. I I I I I To this end, the invention consists the me hanisms described in this specification e112 illustrated in: the acconipanying five sheets of clrauingsfomning partof this application. I I I Referring to these cl1 avvings-- II I II Fig, 1 is a front elevation of a reproduo ing-player piano containing our improve;

ments and illustrating in outlihe the princi- 1.1almechanis1ns thereof; I I I I F 2is'a frontelevation partly sect ou, illustrating one ofthe expressioncon-i trol in units; II I II T 3 is an end elevation thereof I II I II is a cross-sectional plan" thereofon the line4--4 of Fig. I I I 5.is a cross-sectional elevation thereof on theline 5 5 'of Fig 3}- I II i Fig: 6 is an end elevation ofith'e passage or duct board on Whichthe ez'zpression pneumatic and the valve units therefor are mounted; I I

Fig. 7 is an and elevation of one of the valve unit-s; I I I I, Fig. So is a cross-sectional View thereofon the line 8+8'0f I I II I I II Fig". 9 is a cross-sectional elevation onth'e' line 9-9 of Fig. 2, illustrating another of the valve units; II I II II II Fig; 10 is an enIcl ielevation of pa'rt-ojf the passage or 'cluct board, illustrating the Way the valveunit shown in F 9 is connected; 11 is an elevation p'artlyin sect ioh, i l-' lustrating the 'stop '-pnei1matic'.-ancl.its con trolling; valve Fig. 12' isa cross-sectional plan taken 011' theline 12- 12 of Fig; 11; I

Fig. 13 is a diagrain' illustrating the con-. nections between the tracker apertures and exnression unitj t Fig; 1ft is a fron t elev'ation'orian'enlargeol sc'ale' o'f'the spoolbox and its" appurtenances Fig 1515 tront eleyation on an enla'tg'ed leillustrating th'e cutfofii ancl motofi gov erho'r' securetl to the bottornof the key bed I Fig 16 is an end elevation thereofpartlyi S t m F igg 1'7'is asectional p an theieoftak'en' on t e 1 i1lefl l f F .7

Fig; 18 a'sectional plan thereoftaken'on I Fig 19 'is a cross sectional 'e'lei ation taken on the line 1 9' 19' 'o f Fig; 15';

I F 1g; son a plan view' illustrating the valve which controls" the operation of the t-o f; n c.

I F ig. 21 is a cr Ss sectio'nalplan view taken on the 1in'e2 Of+2O 'of F ig'. 14 illustia thlgithe pe' ali k V e Our invention vvill behest 'unclerstooclj by a complete cl'e"scriptjiofnf of the lnechanisnfs ii sili i111 th d aw ngs-1 I 1 Re r ng". 0 t e d ?&ivii d. n .d it A clesignates'the ap'ertnre'd' tr cker her over which the p fo at 1mm sheet 3 ra n fr fi h f 'u s'i SP, 1 o 3 1 G, by" a take-up roll DQW isactuatecl hrou h. ta ge iff o pn i na c motor which pneumatic, motor can b'e' o il' lt-Q ra 'j "mu i sh t .fei w'erd 'r t r 'r playi g ci t rol j the slarne on the I n usic pool, I The action be of any ell known'type, 'that shown in the patent granted to] Thomas Da nquarclNo; 7665601AugustQ, 1904, losing P fe r d-e 1.

,T st ument i l s d "i 1 3 3 15 y su'otion or eg'ihaust olota ned' front puinpf G, which is provi'cleclfw'ith a suitable: stor'er H, and vvhichis en?byhan elcttic nqt I Th ac' inj l ll m di 0f, H1 (11 yp hat is t e s m divi d t bass section and trebleseictioii can'be pla independently off each othen] I II he puin'i e h d' yslfl xib 3O tdthe eutofl he'g'reinaft described, vvlnc menace block 33 so that suction is applied to the right of said diaphragm 56 'asillustrated in Fig. 5. A small bleed is provided around said diaphragm. The chamber at the left of said diaphragm 57 is connected by suitable tubing 63 to a hole in the tracker bar, which may be designated as No. 6.

When a perforation in themusic sheet uncovers this hole No. 6 the air admitted operates on the left of said diaphragm and moves the valve 58 against its spring and opens the same, thus connecting the suction to a passage 64 extending through said board to the expression pneumatic 49. The flow when the valve is open is regulated by the adjustment of the screw 60. This flow tends to collapse the expression controlling pneumatic 49 and to move the expression controlling valve to the right so that a greater tension will be applied to the treble section of the action.

This adjusting movement of the expression pneumatic is controlled by the length of the perforation in the music sheet, for

example, a short'perforation a causes the expression pneumatic to close, say one-quarter' 'way,'as illustrated at a, Fig. 13, a longer perforation 6 causes the expression pneumatic to close one-half way, as illustrated at position b and a still longer perforation c causes the expression pneumatic to close three-quarters way, as illustrated at 0. Thus, the length of "the perforation in-the music sheet will determine the extent of the collapsing movement of the expression pneumatic and any length of perforationmay be em loyed to get any part of'the complete co lapsing movement, within the limits of the apparatus. This adjustment will take place very quickly as 'the 'screw'60 is adjusted to permit'a rapid flowpa'st the valve 58.

To allow the expressionpneumatic'to expand or to obtain the fforzando off -action, the following mechanism is provided A valve block 65 is secured to the left side of the duct board 50 and is connected to the block 33 by tube 66. The 'block'65 isprovided With a diaphragm 67, the chamber at the left hand side of which is connected to tracker aperture 5 by tubing 68, a'bleed being arranged around the diaphragm. This diaphragm is connected to operate a double valve 69 which controls a "passage extending to a chamber at the left of a diaphragm valve 70, which controls a passage extending into the passage 64 connecting with the expression pneumatic. This valve 70 is kept normally closed by a spring 71. When a perforation"cl in the music sheet uncovers aperture'5 in the tracker'b'ar, air will be admitted at the-left o-fthe diaphra m 67, which will move the valve 69 to the rig t, which will permit the exhaust to act on the 7 left of the'diaphr'agm valve 70, which will open said valve and allow air toflow into the passage 64whichfwill allow the expression pneumatic 49 to expand quickly under the action of its spring 55. The chamber at the right of the diaphragm 67 is connected toanOther chamber in which is arranged another diaphragm valve 72 held normally closed by a spring 73. This valve controls an opening extending to a passage 74 in the block 50, which passage extends down and connects with the governor box The valves 70a'nd 72 operate simultaneously so that as atmosphere is admitted into the expression pneumatic, atmosphere will also be admitted into the governor box which will allow the governing pneumatic 39 to expand rapidly under the action of its spring 40. Thus, when the expression pneumatic is allowed to expand rapidly the governing pneumatic is allowed to expand at the same time and the expression control:

ling valve and the governing valve 38 will 'niove rapidly to -the left, for the softest playing, or for another adjustment. The valves described to efiect this forzando off maybe arranged in a unit The forzando on and forzando oflexhaust and supply to the expression controlling pneumatic are large enbugh so as tofovercome the bleed into the expression controlling pneumatic and through the crescendo on hereinafter described.

To collapse the expression controlling pneumatic 49 slowlysof as to Obtain a crescendo effect, the following mechanism is provided.

A valve block 75 is arranged at the left of the units WV and X as shown in Fig. 2. This valve block is provided with a so-cal-led locking valve, which comprisesv a double valve 76 controlled by an upper diaphragm 77 and lower diaphragm 78, the chamber between the double valve and the .lQWBI 'diaphragmis connected by a pipe 7950 the exhaustpassage in the block 33. -The chamber-in which the double valve 76 works is connected by a tube 82 tea-nipple 88 which connects with the passage 64 in the duct board "50. An adjusting screw 84 is arranged in this nipple so that the flow thro'ugh'the fsame can'beregulated. Another nipple 85 is connected to the passage 64 at the bottom of the board 50 and is provided with an"adjusting screw 86 so that a small flow of atmosphere at all-times is permitted into the passage- 64. Bleeds are arranged aroundthe diaphragms '77 and '7 8. \Vhen the aperture. 4 1n the tracker is uncovered by a"perforat1on e in the mu'sic'sheet, air

is admitted under the lower diaphragm 78 which raises the double valve 76 and connectsthe p'assage64'to the exhaust through the tube 82. The screw 84 is adjusted sons to permit a slightly larger flow than 7 is permitted' 'by the "serew 86. Hence, the ex-presi at phra gniis n phragm 93 is connected by pressiorr pneumatic intermediate point :Where the piano islbeing played medium loud orat mezzo-forte, On ;.s hand," if; the stop pneumatic is a si on pneumatic now will; be slowly collapsed under this actionnrlt will=benoticedthat when the vdouble valve. ,7 6:-is .lil?tecl, it :Will remain inraiseclposition as the exhaust will 1 be admitted: through the bleed, into the chamber ebov .itheup-per diaphragm 77.v There,- iore, the slew collapsing movement ,:f., f expression pi'ieuznetic: will COIltiDUQ UI-{ltil .a perforation: f in the music vsheet uncovers l the aperture Elfnthe. tracker bar which will ple 3 I Thus, the 1 expression pneumatic can hecolla; ed slowly. or alioweclto open slowlv toobtanrcrescendoefiects.

mechanismis-eniployed: to move theexpres 'sion control-ling pneumatic 11p :1 to the point cleterminecl :hy the a stop pneumatic; ,niechenisnrhereinafter lcle-scribed. and not much in anybeyon such-point as. the v tension. of

" the spring- Will ust' ahoutioppose, the crebeyond said point; 1;

described is Y.

scen'do on adjustment, 1 T he valve mechanism last conveniently arranged as a un1t The stop device now to be. described can:

used to limit-either. thecollapsing or expanding movement of! the expression pneumatic, This apparatus consists ofwavpneumatic187 arranged on-top of the: passageiblock "50. Thispneumatic 87 is normally: held (open. by

" -a sprmg88-ancl is provided vvithiza hook89 set in position to engage a prongSQonthe movable leafyof the expression pneumatic 49. A looking i valve is arranged to control this stop pneumatic; HThis locking valve consists of a valve block :91 containing dia- 92' and 93 which I operate 121:? double valve 94, the chamber between the left hand diaphragm and Y the valve being connected to the exhaust passage inv'the 'blOCJ; 33 they a tube 95'. Bleetls are provided Laround the diaphragms The chamberliat the-leftzof the left hand diaphragm. 92 is eonnecteol by tubing 96 to-tracker -aperture:12 anchthe chamber at the ri-ght-of'the right hand dia- .tuhing= 97 to tracker aperture 1. hen av perforation. g in-the music, ShGBtllIl'COVGTSllOlQ- No; 2 in the tracker bar; airfis aclmittecli tothe; chamber at the left of the left hand diaphragm 92 and-the double. val-vefie' is movecl to-the right, which admits suction to the stop pneumatic closingitinstantly -Thefstop .pneumatic does not itseli re ulate the eX ression I but-i-t W lllvi11l011e operation prevent the exfrom. closing-beyond an called :into '4 operation, after the expression neumatic has been icollapsed; beyond, this point; it will -inter fere; with the-(opening of the expression- 116 1 11, ticuand wi l 1 317121 lows-the" same; totfiopens to. said .po n In Lother; words, the, stop, pneumatic. will. held the expression pneumatic .so that; the regu lati'ons ithereoii all, h ron v onej Si e, i aid oint. When; the; double; va1vjei9e ,i p rated a last described-1 it will remain in right hand positionqulji-tilfa perforation h -in the music heet. uncovers the. aperturel in the, tracker 1b ar which Will permit atmosphere to flow to, the} right} of 7 :the, 4 right j hand diaphragm .93 wihich'HWi-ll move, theval'veIback t0 the .znormal, position shown in) Fig., 12. ,This valve apparatus -,1nay q he conveniently; arrangectasn hlg k g i By, :using .1 th ese-;.'10 i g val es rescendoiioni and'fic scendo vofii" i op pneumaticon? anjdfiswp vpn umt l off these parts cen'loe cailed inop erjation Joy an: aperture. .;of .;Sh,0 c,l6 gth All th jIIL ,sheet; and; h ld;innpera 9 iint1L an elled --a1so :-b, apertu sipf;? h r z el gfih he i me nto.

Thus, the expression or clynami e in strument-i: :cen be automat cal y: DQZQl ifromih'ei music -.s11ee -i ;T:he pr ce si n pnem matic, 1; its massage in I svalvetnnits -;b f re;-descrihecl]m fa t-flied: anip t togeth r $0. to o m a single un t; ;Wl1lCl1 ,jcang he made n quark y he manu- 'l?he expr ssi ir n t prev ously d s ibe have bee par iic. i ;v ed s gned 1a$ an m- -prpveinent vth l e mn n 1.6- v ci'bed i rU- p tent p [then fi tECl' n We t ,NQ-Ils a Q I "Y yr 917 seat --mech nism It By:plz ng..tl1e$eexpress on 1 S QP ,s of the actionas illustrated they arerenglered v ry acce b e mafia"; musi i tr Pressure: e ifi iellii ion not have to connect up the expression units.

The combined action cutoff and motor gqvernor are attached to the bottom or the action and will now bedescri-bed.

The same consists of; a block 100 which is provided with a pipe elbow 101- to which the pipe 30 extendingto the pump previously referred to is connected. The block is also provided with nipples, 102 and 103 to which the pipe 31'and 32 extending to the expressionunits and previously referred to are connected. The valve block 100 is provided with passages so that the elbow- 101 connects with the nipples 102 and 103 through a valve seat which" is controlled by a valve 104, which is mounted on diaphragm 1 05 con. tained in a supplemental b'lo'ck'106 secured to the bottom oft-he block 100,21 suitable bleed being provided around said diaphragm. The chamber under'salid diaphragm" is connected, by a tube'107 to 'avalve' seat 108 arranged on top of-the action,co-op,erating with which seat is a small rotary valve 109 having anarm 110 connected as hereinafter described. The rotary valve 109 is provided with a recess in which is arranged a pin extending from the seat to limit the motion of the valve and this recess controls an aperture extending from the tube 107 up through the valve seat. hen the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 20, the tube 107 is cut oif from the atmosphere and the double valve 104 remains in its normal or lowest position shown in Fig. 19 so that the expression units are connected with the suction of the pump.

. lVhen the rotary valve is moved as illustrated by the arrow in Fig. 20, air is admitted to the tube 107 which, acting under the diaphragm 105, lifts the double valve 104 and cuts off the expression units from the pump and thereby stops the playing of the instrument.

A passage 111 extends from the chamber in said valve block in which the double valve 104 operates into a governing pneumatic 112 which is normally opened by a spring 113 arranged between the movable leaf thereof and a bracket 114 as shown in Fig. 16. An extra fold of cloth V is used in this pneumatic as a valve and is so positioned that when the pneumatic closes this cloth will cut OR the passage 111, a screen covering the opening of this passage. The block 100 is also provided with a passage 115 extending into said governing pneumatic 112 and this passage is connected by a tube 116 to a tempo valve box 117 which is secured on top of the action. The tempo valve controls a passage connected by a tube 118 to the pneumatic motor E. The tempo valve 119 is kept to its seat by a spring 120. A rod 121 is connected to said valve 119 and extends out through the tempo valve box and is connected to an adjusting slide 122 which has a pointer co-operating with a suitable. scale by adjusting which. the. speed of the motor. can be. adjusted and hence the tempo of the playing can. be regulated. 100' from tl e pipe 101 is connected-by a tube- 123 to a replay -reroll-electric cut-out unit, which is mounted on. top ofthe action at the left of the spool box as illustrated. This unit consists of a reroll pneumatic 124, the movable leaf of which has an arm 125 which fits on a rod 12am position to engage an adjustable stop 127 thereon. This rod 126. is also connected to the shifting lever 128; of the gearing between the pneumatic motor E' andthe. take-up roll and the music spool, which gearing is of the usual form and need not i be described. lVhen said pneumatic. 124 is" collapsed, the rod 126 is shifted toi the left, the motor is connected to the music spool for rewinding and the suction or exhaust is cut oil from the action as previously described. another pneumatic 129, which has an arm 130 which is connected to a rod 131 extending into the spool box and having a handle therein. This rod is connected by suitable adjustable fingers to the electric switch 132 which controls the operation of the electric motor'I. l Vhen the rod is pushed to the left the motor is started in operation. When the pneumatic 129 is collapsed the electric switch is thrown to. cut the electric motor out of operation and thus stop the playing. This unit also has replay pneumatic 133, which has an arm 13.4 set in position to engage a stop 135. secured on the rod 126. When this pneumatic 13.3 is collapsed the said rod 126. is moved to the'right, the gearing between the pneumatic motor and the take-up roll is set in operative position and the rotary valve 109 is moved to cut out the flow of air through the tube 107, whereby the action is connected to the suction or exhaust through the expression units and the instrument is started again in operation. The reroll pneumatic 124, the cut-out pneumatic 129 and the replay pneumatic 133 are arranged on a suitable valve block 136 which is secured to the top of the action. This valve block has suitable valves which are connected by tubes as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 14 to suitable apertures in the tracker bar. It is not thought necessary to detail these valves at length as they are of ordinary construction. This valve block and these pneumatics may be made as a unit of manufacture conveniently attached at the point indicated. Bythis arrangement the music sheet will be rewound after playing and replayed if desired or the instrument will be thrown out of operation after reroll, depending upon the cutting of the music sheet.

By the improvements previously described the operation. of the reproducing piano is The passage extending into. the block 1 The uiiit. also has inc greatly improved and the mechanism is or ganized and assembledv so that it can be most expeditiously manufactured and placed in position in the piano.

The details and arrangements herein shown and described may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic Without departing fromv the scope of our invention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus fully What We claim and desire ters Patent is 1. An expression unit comprising a governing and expression controlling valve or valves, a governing pnuematic and spring, an expression controlling pneumatic and valves therefor, these parts being assembled and put together as a unit of manufacture capable of being mounted on the top of a piano action.

2. An expression unit comprising a governing valve, pneumatic and spring, an independently operating expression controlling valve, an expression pneumatic, and valves for governing the operation of the expression pnuematic, these parts being assembled and put together as a unit of manufacture.

3. A divided player piano action having an expression unit for controlling the treble section of said action, and an expression unit for controlling the bass section of said units being mounted on top of said action so that said units can be connected before to secure by Let'- the action is put into the piano.

4. A divided player piano action having an expression unit for controlling the treble section -"of said action, and an expression described our invention,

unit for controlling the bass section of' said action mounted on top of said action, and a cut-off and governor unit mounted on the bottom of the act-ion, so that said parts can be assembled With the action for installa tion in a piano.

5. A divided piano action having an expression-unit for controlling the treble section thereof, an expression unit for controlling thebass section thereof, and a reroll replay unit, all said units being secured and a cut-off and to the top of said action,

bottom of governing unit secured to the said action.

6. A. divided piano action having an expression unit for the treble section thereof, an expression unit for the bass section thereof, and a reroll replay and electric switch unit, all saidunits being secured to the top of said action, a cut-off and motor governor unit secured to thebottom of said action, whereby said units can be assembled on the action before the same is installed in the piano. 7. A divided player piano action having an expression controlling unit for the bass section thereof, an expression controlling unit for the treble section thereof, and a reroll-replay-electric cut-out unit, all these units being mounted onthe top of said action so that they can be assembled before the action is installed in a piano.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto aflixed our signatures.

HUBERT J. LA JOIE. UBERT URQUHART. FRANK POKOBNY. 

